Wine press review for Saturday, February 7, 2026!

Italian wineries

Oltrepò: Losito and Guarini remain in the running.

• The Losito and Guarini company confirms its interest in acquiring the Terre d'Oltrepò cooperative.
• After the complaint of "failure to respond", a formal communication arrives (29 January 2026) from ministerial commissioner Luigi Zingone.
• Position: “open to any possible formula” → the game is still open, with territorial and socio-economic implications.

Tedeschi (Valpolicella): transition to the new generation

• Enrico Giacomelli Tedeschi (from January), the first of the seven cousins of the new generation, will take over the role.
• Key message: family continuity as a structured project (not just symbolic), with legal and managerial skills.

Tenuta Santa Maria Valverde: Organic certification halted, transition to integrated pest management.

• Producer Nicola Campagnola makes a clear choice: abandoning certified organic production.
• Hot topic: costs/complexity/perceived effectiveness of certification vs. “integrated” agronomic management.
• Market insight: be careful about reputational risk and communication (how you tell it matters as much as what you do).

Lungarotti and "Progetto 1962": Heritage as a Strategic Lever

• Story of a structured reality (foundation company), with a focus on sustainability, biodiversity, and continuity of vision.
• Reading: the past not as nostalgia, but as a tool for positioning and industrial coherence.

Santa Maria La Palma Winery (Alghero): A cooperative as a "widespread value"

• Declared numbers: over 300 members , 800 hectares , approximately €28 million turnover , 8 million bottles .
• Over €30 million redistributed to members (2021–2025), €8 million in the last year.
• Model: international growth without relocation, with measurable local economic impact.

Italian wine and Italian oenology

Large-scale retail trade: wine closes 2025 in the red (but holds up)

• Large-scale retail trade sales (Circana): €2.3 billion value ( -0.5% ), 618 million liters ( -3.1% ).
• Average price: €3.77/L ( 2.6% ).
• 0.75 bottle: value 0.2% , volume -1.9% ; sparkling: value 3.6% , volume 3.1% .
• Reading: volumes down, price up → promotional pressure and selective “trade-down” remain the themes.

Freisa: "Second Youth" in Piedmont

• Focus on the origins, aromatic identity and contemporary rediscovery of the grape variety.
• Undercurrent: return of natives with "character" when they manage to speak a modern language.

Prosecco “col fondo”: the ancestor that comes back to count

• Cultural difference: “Easy” Prosecco vs. “straight” Prosecco, more gastronomic, less accommodating.
• Market insight: identity niches that become credible (not artificial) storytelling.

Amarone: More elegance and drinkability (concrete signs)

• The Verona preview revealed a stylistic evolution perceived as more realistic and less declarative.
• Direction: “intelligent” lightening without losing identity.

Calabria on the Rise: Gambero Rosso's Best Ciròs

• Cirò as a symbol of a qualitative leap in the region and the consolidation of the native varieties.
• Note: a new dynamic in events/national attention (festivals and local initiatives) is cited.

Palizzi (IGT): a territorial tale between the Ionian coast and Greek roots

• Emphasis on cultural identity and soil and climate conditions (clay, sea breeze, altitude).
• Theme: Micro-territories that work if they become experiences (not just labels).

Wine and the young: fewer slogans, more culture and people

• Interventions by young winemakers (22–40 years): shifting the focus from technicalities to storytelling, values, and faces.
• Implication: The question isn’t “do they drink,” but “what really hooks them.”

Institutional wine campaign: Coldiretti

• Support for supply chain communication against “demonization”, with reference to the economic value of 14.5 billion .

Observatory: "Uncertainty is the new normal"

• The "Wine Permanent Observer" report was presented in Alba: a complex scenario and declining exports.
• Message: We need governance of change, not defense of vested interests.

International

Low/no alcohol drinks: yes, but maximum caution is required.

• A young and growing market; a "Trojan horse" risk for bringing alcohol consumption back to sensitive targets.
• Alerts and analyses recalled (WHO 2024 and expert summaries in scientific journal).

Dry January loses its grip (USA): fewer mocktails, more spirits

• From American bars: January busier than expected, driven by corporate events.
• Demand composition: fewer non-alcoholic drinks, more spirits → a signal to monitor for those investing in no/low alcohol.

UK: New alcohol excise duties (from February 1) and protests

• Excise duty increase in line with the RPI index (3.66%); wine/beer sector disputes.
• Topic: balance between revenue/health policy and competitiveness of the sector.

Australia: Wine Exports to Decline in 2025

• Wine Australia data: -8% value (2.34 billion AUD), -6% volume (613 million litres).
• Average value per litre decreasing → pressure on positioning and market mix.

Wine events

Wine Paris 2026: Sicily takes center stage with IRVO (41 wineries)

• Project: “Sicily of Wine. Roots of the Future” (February 9–11, 2026, Paris Expo).
• Format: beyond the fair, identity storytelling, training events and food and wine pairing (also in a hotel school context).

Wine Paris 2026: Consortium of Romagna Wines with 10 wineries

• Presence at the fair (Hall 5.2 – Stand B130) and participation in the “Selection by VertdeVin” event (10 February).
• Objective: label selection and international positioning.

Oltrepò Pavese: Buttafuoco Storico turns 30

• Anniversary 1996–2026 with calendar of events: tradition, future, stricter DOC rules to protect identity.

“The Great Verticals of the Cities of Wine” (January–April 2026)

• Format: vertical tastings (young vs. mature wine) and in 2026 a focus on wine and food pairing as a participatory experience.

Winery Event: Bagna Cauda at Francesco Rosso (February 21)

• An experiential evening in Roero: local food and wine as a driver of direct connection.

Cross-cutting focus of the day (strategic reading)

The common thread is crystal clear: the market isn't collapsing, but its grammar is changing .

• Distribution : volumes down, prices up → margins to be protected with mix and identity.
• Styles and products : drinkability (Amarone), authenticity (with sediment), native wines that “return” (Freisa, Cirò).
• Policy & reputation : organic between new rules (national brand) and unconventional choices (exiting certification).
• International : health, excise duties, and “hybrid” consumption make the picture more unstable but legible for those who govern data and positioning.

See you tomorrow.